Python's versatility as a programming language extends to its rich data structures, including tuples and JSON. JSON, abbreviation for JavaScript Object Notation, is a lightweight data format used for representing structured data. Moreover, it is a syntax for storing and exchanging data. In this article, we will see how to write a tuple to JSON in Python.

Converting Tuple to JSON in Python

Below are some of the ways by which we can convert Tuple to JSON in Python:

Using json.dumps() method

In this example, the `json.dumps()` function is used to convert a tuple named `physics_tuple` into a JSON-formatted string (`json_data`). The resulting JSON string is then displayed along with its data type, showcasing the serialization of the tuple into a JSON representation.

import json
physics_tuple = ('Class 9', 'Physics', 'Laws of Motion', 'Introduction', 'Newton First Law')

# Convert tuple to JSON
json_data = json.dumps(physics_tuple)

# Display the result
print(type(json_data))
print(json_data)

<class 'str'>
["Class 9", "Physics", "Laws of Motion", "Introduction", "Newton First Law"]

Making a Custom Encoder Function

In this example, a custom JSON encoder function named `custom_encoder` is defined to handle the serialization of tuples. The function converts tuples into a dictionary format with a special key `__tuple__` and a list of items. This custom encoder is then utilized with the `json.dumps` function using the `default` parameter. The resulting JSON string, representing the serialized tuple, is displayed along with its data type.

import json
physics_tuple = ('Class 9', 'Physics', 'Laws of Motion', 'Introduction', 'Newton First Law')

def custom_encoder(obj):
    if isinstance(obj, tuple):
        return {'__tuple__': True, 'items': list(obj)}
    return obj

json_data = json.dumps(physics_tuple, default=custom_encoder)
print(type(json_data))
print(json_data)

<class 'str'>
["Class 9", "Physics", "Laws of Motion", "Introduction", "Newton First Law"]

Using Pandas

In this example, a tuple named `physics_tuple` is converted into a Pandas DataFrame (`df`) with specific column names. The fourth element of the tuple is a list, which is included as a column named 'Subtopics' in the DataFrame. The `to_json` method is then applied to the DataFrame with the specified orientation ('records'), resulting in a JSON-formatted string (`json_data`) representing the data in a record-oriented format suitable for a list of dictionaries.

import json
import pandas as pd

physics_tuple = ('Class 9', 'Physics', 'Laws of Motion',
                 ['Introduction', 'Newton First Law'])

df = pd.DataFrame([physics_tuple], columns=[
                  'Class', 'Subject', 'Topic', 'Subtopics'])
json_data = df.to_json(orient='records')

print(type(json_data))
print(json_data)

Output:

<class 'str'> 
[{"Class":"Class 9","Subject":"Physics","Topic":"Laws of Motion","Subtopics":["Introduction","Newton First Law"]}]

Custom Tuple serialization

In this example, a custom serialization function named `serialize` is defined to handle the serialization of tuples. The function converts tuples into a dictionary format with a key 'tuple_items' containing a list of items. This custom serialization function is then utilized with the `json.dumps()` function using the `default` parameter. The resulting JSON string, representing the serialized tuple, is displayed along with its data type.

import json

physics_tuple = ('Class 9', 'Physics', 'Laws of Motion', 'Introduction', 'Newton First Law')

def serialize(obj):
    if isinstance(obj, tuple):
        return {'tuple_items': list(obj)}
    return obj

json_data = json.dumps(physics_tuple, default=serialize)

print(type(json_data))
print(json_data)

<class 'str'>
["Class 9", "Physics", "Laws of Motion", "Introduction", "Newton First Law"]